Letter from the Pastor
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June 1, 2025We begin the beautiful month of June. As you know the month of June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Sacred Heart has been a focus of devotion and piety since the very beginning of Christianity. However, particular devotion to the heart of Christ first appeared during the Middle Ages.
A greater and a more intimate devotion to the Sacred Heart began in 17th-century France through the revelations received by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. By the 18th century, devotion to the Sacred Heart spread across France and beyond. The Sacred Heart even became the emblem of Catholic loyalists opposed to the anti-clerical, atheistic forces of the French Revolution.
In 1856, Pope Pius IX established the Feast of the Sacred Heart for the entire Church. In 1899, Pope Leo XIII issued an encyclical asking that, in the “principal Church of every town and village,” the faithful of the whole world should be solemnly consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Devotion to the Sacred Heart is as important in our day then it was in 17th-century France, or the Middle Ages, or at the foot of Calvary. God loves us with a human heart so that we might learn to share in His divine love. Our world is in need of the love of the Sacred Heart.
In the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we discover the humility of God, as we encounter the love that created, ordered, and sustains all things. In His Sacred, Pierced Heart, we find the strength and grace to love as He loves. As the sun becomes warmer in June, let the warmth of God’s love envelope us all.
The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart this year is on June 27th.
Next Saturday, June 7th at 1:30 PM, we will offer a Memorial Mass for Ciaran Green. After the Mass there will be the unveiling of the Statue in front of the Church, followed by a reception in Toner Hall. All our parishioners are invited to attend.
Ciaran is a gift of God to our world, a special man of deep-faith and character. Ciaran died unexpectedly on December 7th, 2022 at the age of 22, from natural causes. Ciaran was born into a very loving family; Shane and Nadine (his parents) and his brothers and sister, Colin, Kyle, and Aisleen.
He faced many challenges in his young life. He was diagnosed with Escobar Syndrome, which affects muscles and joints as well as the respiratory system. Ciaran had his first surgery at 2 weeks old. He would endure many more surgeries throughout his life disrupting his schooling. In spite of the physical difficulties, he went on to graduate from Iona University.
He lived with chronic pain, but always had a smile and a positive attitude. Nothing was by chance; he believed in God’s Divine Providence. There was always a plan in the Mind of God. He always made time to talk with you, made you feel special, and made you feel like you were the only person in the room. Ciaran created bonds with people wherever he went, with folks from all walks of life. There is a saintly quality to Ciaran.
God blessed our parish and town because of this young man’s life. And through the goodness and generosity of so many people, he will never be forgotten, as indicated by the beautiful statue in his memory that will be unveiled next week.